686 cleaning do's and dont's?

[686forlife]

what are some do's and dont's when it comes to cleaning a 686+ SS revolver? I use Breakfree CLP to clean my guns and was wondering if there are locations on the 686 where this product should not go?

i recently cleaned the chamber and ejector with CLP and it seems the ejector now rotates slightly preventing me from inserting rounds until i rotate the ejector back in place.

the front of the chamber seems to get very dirty very fast from just one range session. i know birchwood casey lead remover removes the carbon/lead rings but it requires heavy rubbing and takes too long. Is it ok to leave these carbon/lead rings on the front of chamber or will it cause damage in the long run? i dont mind cleaning the chamber cylinders and barrely after every range session but the front of the chamber just takes too long.

thanks.

 

[westy39]

You are so right, that is too much work. I will graciously accept any and all dirty 686 revolvers you want to send my way. I feel your pain, I am here for you 686forlife. Please don't hesitate to send those evil dirty revolvers to me. I could be talked into paying for the shipping and handling if I have to..... Misery loves company, or so my mom use to say.

 

[FloridaFlier]

Did you remove the cylinder? There is no reason, clean or dirty, why the cylinder is not rotating all the way out (If I understand the problem correctly). Is it possible that you re-assembled something incorrectly?

Back to your original question; no, you do not have to remove the carbon rings on the cylinder front. Some do, and some don't. The guns look a bit different, but perform the same.

There are a lot of products that can clean the cylinder quite well. The key ingredient is time. I wipe it in, rough it up it in a bit with a brass brush, and let it soak for a half hour, while I clean another gun/ sort brass/ whatever. It does come off.

Don't take off the side plate. You don't need to touch anything under it for a long time. Buggered-up screws and scratches will indicate a less-than professional work by less than a gunsmith. It'll cost you a lot on a sale or trade, and may even affect your warranty.

Regarding oil, there is an old saying that fits here; "Half of what you normally use is still twice as much as you need."

Finally, if you believe that you have a mechanical issue, get a second opinion from somebody who knows the gun and, if necessary, contact S&W for warranty work.

Good luck.

 

[H Richard]

Check your ejector rod t make sure it is screwed in tight.

 

[Nevada Ed]

You should be able to put hundreds of loads down range without having problems with the cylinder binding up, even if just shooting lead bullets, that build up "Crud" faster than the powder deposits and carbon, that you are seeing on the front face of your cylinder.

When cleaned my cylinder spins like a top............but it slows down with each box of shells fired, until it only turns maybe a half turn when I open the cylinder on a heavy work out.

Types of powder, fps, bullet types, fit, etc. all play a part on what your weapon will look like after a session. Some times I can be done in 15 minutes other times I have had to take over an hour to get the revolver clean enough.

 

[MarkDozier]

I think the ejector is a bit loose.
Now a tip - I use Mothers Mag polish to clean the face of my 686 cylinder. I bit of lite rubbing and wipe with a clean cloth and your done.
I use a drop of oile on the trigger and hammer once in a while.